Polycool cut you off, Banda de Role deliver a hit, Nana Lukezo gets moving, Charles Danet has sweet dreams and more in today’s submissions from Groover, a platform that connects artists with critics like me for a small fee. You can (and should) follow me on Spotify HERE, check out my Top 200 playlist HERE, or listen to it via the widget at the lower right of every page on this site. If you want to be in an upcoming playlist, go HERE. But first, take some sound advice from these artists:
Polycool | Unlike You
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Polycool are, above all, an independent and absurd project. Their musical style — a strange mix of various influences including Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Air, Sebastien Tellier, Nick Hakim and Connan Mockasin — gave birth to their debut album Lemon Lord, an acid cosmogony, in 2019. Start again from scratch, cut the bridges, but with class and panache — that’s what Polycool do in Unlike You, with a lot of acid guitars, dancing synths, and retro and psychedelic groove. The memories, the sleepless nights trying to forget, it is to all that that the Parisian band try to say goodbye.”
Banda de Rolé | Golpe
HOME BASE: Brazil.
GENRE: World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Banda De Rolé are a Franco-Brazilian group born in Paris in 2013, composed of six long-time friends who met around their passion for Capoeira and music. They bring together several personalities from various cultures and musical background: Brazil, West Africa, North Africa, Caribbean, Reunion Island. The result is a samba / reggae / funk / rock / hip-hop musical big bang. In summary: Some kind of Brazilian Afro-Punk. Through their lyrics, Banda De Rolé promote cultural exchange and respect of Brazilian traditional cultures, whilst raising concerns about our modern society and the social situation both in Brazil and Europe. Their album No Mundão de Rolé was mixed in London at Mad Professor’s Ariwa studio. It tackles the life, aspirations and hopes of world citizens.”
Nana Lukezo | Bonganga Na Nzambe
HOME BASE: Belgium.
GENRE: World.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Nana Lukezo is a singer with a charming voice who has been able to absorb different musical trends. Author, composer, performer, she has matured her talent within multiple gospel choirs. She is also characterized by her commitment to humanitarian causes. Lukezo is the president of the platform TFAM: All Women With Me, which works on the unity of women who want to promote the gospel and push women towards excellence.”
Charles Danet | Sweet Dreams
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Indie-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Charles Danet is a French musician under the influence of vintage pop music from the ’60s, along with orchestral pop, folk music, and italian soundtracks from the ’70s. His compositions are an invitation to dream, considering each track as the beginning of cinematic mind travels, with a hint of psychedelism. The influences which led to the creation of his upcoming album Shadows are Brian Wilson, Ennio Morricone, François de Roubaix, Paul McCartney and also Jacco Gardner, Forever Pavot or Sven Wunder. While listening to Sweet Dreams, you might hear hints of vintage psych-pop, ’70s film music and ’60s orchestral pop.”
A2VT | Clear The Way
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Representing Somalia, Tanzania and Burundi — while living in Vermont — A2VT synthesize their native African musical and dance roots with Western pop and hip-hop sensibilities. Their songs, performed in up to eight unique languages, reflect their journey from Africa to America, and celebrate the musical collision of two continents and the party that ensues! Clear The Way is sung in both English and Maay Maay (Soimali Bantu language).”
Shadow The Archangel | Ack Rite
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Valentina Mor is a popular Venezuelan personality who lives in Colombia. She inspired this song after we met. She was trying to change her image and wanted to be taken more seriously, which made me think of the concept of Ack Rite. It is a fiery Afro-American dance song, mixed with a little hip-hop.”
Charlēne | Le Balancier
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Pop.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Le Balancier (The Pendulum) is groovy, chill, a little sad but catchy, in the style Crying On The Dance Floor. It’s got samples, acoustic guitar, a touch of erhu and a melody that stays in your head.”
La Route des Airs | Objectif Mars
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “With communicative energy, La Route des Airs build a rich and warm sound via acoustic instruments (cajon, double bass, accordion, clarinet, guitar). 2022 marks the release of their album Racines. The group tackles quite broad themes such as childhood, society and the environment with lyrics that anyone can identify with.”
Pattern Primitive | I’ll Take The Blow
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Pattern Primitive form a hypnotic and meditative soundscape, a soothing antidote comprised of lo-fi noise particles and melancholic memories floating in the air, with gentle melodic breaths caressing the back of your neck as you descend into sonic madness. I’ll Take The Blow precedes their next EP, which will be released Oct. 7.”
Edgar Mauer | By Any Means
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Edgar Mauer is a man’s name adopted by Maëve to sweep away gender issues around her musical project. A musician, author, composer and performer, she unveils Edgar Mauer at the start of 2020, quickly joined by Alan, multi-instrumentalist and sound technician, then by Camille Bigeault on drums, to shape a sound between Bristol trip-hop and Kate Bush-style pop, with a resolutely modern touch. By Any Means will make you feel like drinking your morning coffee with a spoon of honey. The creamy pop layers a la M83 and Coldplay bring a touch of joy to the introspective chiaroscuro universe of the young performer, reminiscent of current American songwriters from Clairo to Phoebe Bridgers. By Any Means is an anthem of self-empowerment where light and warmth make a striking entrance.”
Thousand Thoughts | Circles
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Modern Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Having spent the better half of 2022 writing and recording, Thousand Thoughts release their long-awaited debut album Better Than Never alongside their new single Circles. The debut is made up of forward-thinking tracks written over the past few years, alongside unreleased highlights of what came before. It sees the band out to plant their flag in the ground. “Some of it’s darker and more revealing than anything that has been released by us ever before. There’s one track in particular that is literally about me killing myself,” singer Ethan warns. “But it’s also the happiest sounding track on the album.” He goes on to describe the record as a “bleak journey with depression, where it feels like you’re drowning in yourself” that has a “reassuring ending that’ll hopefully make people feel like everything will be OK … because it will.”
Wix Patton | Outstanding (3:00 AM)
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Wix Patton is a Georgia-born athlete and artist with the ability to write and develop his own musical style. His forthcoming EP Everything OK is a hybrid of alternative hip-hop and rock genres. On the stage with his live band and DJ, Wix Patton and Nobody’s Band collectively create a viral, visual and performance experience with a nod to the The Roots, Linkin Park and Coldplay.”
Alba | Clair
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Latin-Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “After a first EP Alba (2015) and the albums Did You See? (2016) and Les Mots (2022), Alba just released a new EP. Alba is an author, composer, performer and also produces the visuals for her releases. She is also a producer, sound-designer, artist and painter. With its sustained bass and Cumbia rhythm, the track Clair accompanies the daily life of depression and a life under medications.”
Baby Rouge | Run Away
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I am an upcoming Miami singer and Songwriter. I write pop music with an electronic influence. I am an American girl who grew up in the south of France, where I fell in love with EDM. I just moved to Miami from New York to pursue music. This is my new single Run Away, a happy electro-pop / EDM song. I wrote this after going through the most difficult year of my life and realizing that life is too short to not do what makes you happy.”
Sky DJ | No Panic
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “No Panic is my first single. It was a success during my DJ set during the summer, so I thought it deserves to be heard by a wider public. I have another new single on the way, followed by two remixes of Prince and 4 Non Blondes, and an album planned for the end of 2023.”
Obi Alfred | Mind
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Obi Alfred is carrying the torch of classic R&B for a new generation. Born in New Jersey and raised in Texas, the Nigerian-American’s distinctive style pays tribute to the legends of the genre while pushing into bold, modern territory. Now, with the most compelling music of his young career, Obi is establishing himself as one of the most vital new voices in R&B. His single Mind colors in the nuances of falling head over heels for that special someone — it’s deep, sensual, and with all the necessary ingredients to land a spot on the musical map for R&B. Obi’s debut offers a vivid snapshot into the mind of an artist with a defined vision and larger-than-life dreams.”
Joel Sarakula | Tragic
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Indie Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Joel Sarakula is a U.K.-based Australian who writes, produces and sings soulful pop, gazing out at a contemporary world through vintage glasses. His music is informed by a rich, 1970s-inspired palette, drawing on soft rock, funk and disco influences: Sunny, uptempo jams for darker times. With his long hair and 1970s clothes, he is painfully aware that to some he may look like a long lost Gibb brother. But at concerts, an irreverent and ironic sense of humour is always there, barely below the surface (and the flares). His previous albums Companionship (2020), Love Club (2018), The Imposter (2015) and The Golden Age (2013) have racked up generous plays and got him noticed in the media. Tragic is a cross-cultural exchange harks back to a golden era in the 1960s and ’70s. It’s a soulful slice of west coast influenced soft rock about embarrassment, awkwardness and being able to laugh at oneself.”
Les Fils de Juno | Sur Sa Terre
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Folk.
THE TRANSLATED & EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Les Fils de Juno (Sons Of Juno) were born from the meeting of musicians on Juno Beach in Normandy. But their folk and country sound comes from the other side of hthe Atlantic. Live, they mix standards by Johnny Cash or The Stanley Brothers with recent hits by Maren Morris or Little Big Town, and offbeat reinterpretations of pop and dance hits by Eiffel 65 and Lil Nas X. But they also compose original songs like their first single Sur Sa Terre. Between vocal harmonies and poetry, the title evokes childhood memories that are both nostalgic and joyful.”
Antigen Shift | Talk
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Industrial.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “A merciless and buzzing electronic bass hypnotizes and eventually mutates, making its way for some of the harshest mixed vocals known to man. “All you do is f#$king TALK,” the distorted vocals scream. The drums kick in, and under a wall of noise, you’re lost in the darkened chaos. This is the world of Antigen Shift, a veteran post-industrial, noise-synth DJ collaboration of Nicholas Theriault and Jairus Khan. Talk is “about talking to each other and to ourselves,” Theriault says. “At a time when we have more ways to reach out to each other than ever before, we find ourselves questioning each other more than ever before.” With five albums, three EPs, and a number of remixes and compilation appearances, Antigen Shift got their start more than a decade ago. “We started as a straight-up industrial power noise project, but evolved into a more diverse, complex post-industrial project,” Theriault says. “Talk is the opening track to a five-song EP of the same name, which is required reading for anyone remotely a fan of the industrial/noise genres.”
T3N PM | Shades
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “T3N PM is the new pseudonym for J. Adams. It represents the time when adult music is played on the radio in the U.S. It’s real R&B with real lyrics that stand the test of time.”
Gold Record | The Move Is To Do All The Moves
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Psychedelic R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Gold Record is a movement created to bring people together and beget joy. Currently, Gold Record are working on three unique but lofty projects: A live album produced by Nicolas Vernhes (Dirty Projectors, The War On Drugs); an indie-pop LP produced by Alex Newport (Death Cab For Cutie, City and Colour); and the Extended Summer LP, which features the single The Move Is To Do All The Moves. Though this album is shrouded in dance, disco and nostalgia, The Move… is a sincere love song from principal songwriter Noah Clark. Mixed by Ewan Pearson (!!!, M83) this is Gold Record‘s deepest dive into psychedelic beauty yet.”
Stefano Franco-Bora | Midnight Kiss Lullaby Mystery
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “In one year, an EP followed its indie way and the two first singles (Spectral Full Moon Party Jeopardy and Confidential Codex Reset Memory) became hits — not in terms of commercial success, but as nightclubbing soundtracks. Now, following this wave, we release a third track from our Electro Opera.”
Jonathan AKA J Dub | Partition
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Jonathan AKA J Dub is a multi-instrumentalist producer, songwriter, and rapper from Los Angeles. His influences touch on punk, rap, and psychedelia. Some career highlights have included being featured with Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube on the official remix of The Position, playing the Gathering Of The Juggalos 2016, as well as rocking strip clubs in ATL and L.A. The common threads in his catalog are unrestricted stylistic growth, respect for all genres and dedication to the craftsmanship required to create his dreams. This home-recorded version of Beyonce‘s Partition got a lot of organic engagement, so I decided to get it remastered and released. It’s very stripped down and raw with only blues/jazz guitar and my vocals. The aesthetic it evokes is very film noir. It’s a live take played once through with no edits.”
American Standard | In The End
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Punk.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “We are a punk rock band from San Jose. This is a song about the pointlessness of life. Our goal is just to get as many earballs on our music as we can.”
Sweetie Bankz | Lu$T
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Pretty gutter bass. Enjoy.”
Muscular | Sunburn
HOME BASE: Finland.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Muscular’s sound is a mix of electronic music with grooves of funk, harmonies of soul, synthesizer sounds from the future and sparkling arpeggios stirred with organic instruments such as pianos, guitars, horns and percussion. The music of Muscular is founded on Herbie Hancock’s jazz-funk headhunting, Parliament-Funkadelic’s vision through star-shaped-sunglasses, Prince’s masterful musicology and groups like Franc Moody, Vulfpeck and Cory Henry & Funk Apostles. The brain behind Muscular is Finnish keyboard player and pianist Ilmari Aitoaho. Muscular’s debut album On The One contains nine tracks and 40 minutes of electronic funk.”
E.G. Phillips | Mental Maps
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Folk-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “E.G. Phillips is a San Francisco songwriter who creates lyric-driven songs with his own special blend of whimsy and cinematic imagery — which he uses to give a wry take on dealing with the longings of the heart and the madness of existence. He comes from a country called the Midwest and his favorites include Bob Dylan and The Kinks as well as Duke Ellington. Onstage, there’s a touch of Tom Lehrer in the mix. Mental Maps is the title track for my upcoming EP to be released in late October. The notion of the mental map has always intrigued me — that our subjective and fragmentary geographical knowledge effects how we interact with the world. As my geography professor David Lanegran explained, the reason that people don’t stray from the familiar paths they know when going somewhere is because there are vampires in those unknown areas. This is song about how our individual mental maps may or may not intersect — and what can happen as a result of world views being too far apart.”
Prime Sinister | Barium
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Barium is the first single from Prime Sinister’s second album Long Live Syllablism. The song was mixed and mastered by Thomas Cullison (Kayne West, Pharrell), and the video will be directed by renowned director Kaylum Dennis. It is written in Prime Sinister‘s acclaimed, unique lyrical style known as Syllablism, which is the use of syllables to rhyme.”
Peter Lake | Southern Palm (Your Lifeline)
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Indie-Rock.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Peter Lake is a New York City singer-songwriter who revels in anonymity. His musical influences include Curtis Mayfield, Motown, Billie Eilish and Rüfüs Du Sol. Therefore, it’s no surprise that he has not stuck to one genre, dabbling in rock, pop, indie, and house. “I had a girlfriend who was from the South,” he says of his new single. “She would visit me in New York. She was very eccentric, and one night after leaving the studio, we had dinner and she said, “Have I ever told you that I can read palms?” Of course she grabs my hand and concentrates on my hand. She finally said “Your lifeline is so long!” What more could I ask for? With my fragile ego now more secure, we were about to leave when she asked the waiter to read his palm: “Oh no, I’m sorry but you’re going to die young.” I couldn’t believe she said that! The poor man serving us was petrified. For reasons I can no longer remember, that was our last date. But that night, after coming home, the excitement of romance and potential love kept me awake. And so I thought about this strange and wonderful southern woman who read my palm. And so I wrote out the song, and now I will always remember her.”
Raign | Black Soul
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Pop.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “As the harbinger of a new era in pop romanticism, London artist Raign bends boundaries to create darkly dreamy music that’s near-sublime in its transformative power. Following the release of her career-defining 2018 LP Sign she is back with a collaboration with L.A. duo Th3rdstream on this thunderous dark electro-pop single, which marries her epic, romantic alt-pop and soaring vocals with Th3rdstream’s urban drums and cinematic orchestras. “This song was inspired by the feeling of falling, those low moments we all face; when things seem to be the darkest we often find out how strong we really are!”
LohArano | Ts’Izy
HOME BASE: Madagascar.
GENRE: Metal.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “LohArano means ‘the source,’ a roar of the new generation. LohArano affirm their bubbling rock fusion and the mixed heritage that created their story. They draw equally from rock and ancestral rhythms to extract a new sound. The powerful trio are led by the charismatic Mahalia on lead vocals and guitar. Mika is on bass guitar and Natiana is the drummer. Ts’Izy is an explosive cocktail that sets the tone for the power trio’s new EP.”
Ceylon | Faith
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Electronica.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “I’m a musician from Latvia now living in New York after growing up in Kazakhstan. I make electronic music (house and experimental).”
Watkins & Bloodline | Callin’ Jesus
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: Gospel.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “We are a ministry based out of Lowell, N.C.”
WeirdPlan | Drunk
HOME BASE: Canada.
GENRE: Rap.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “We are WeirdPlan. We create rap/urban pop and our catchy track Drunk features Nyyia.”
Femi Jaye | Love Language
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: R&B.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “London-based Nigerian artist Femi Jaye lets the vibes do the talking. When the tumultuous year of 2020 brought heartbreak, isolation and an aggravated heart condition, Femi chose to reinvent himself with a purpose. Also known as the Flower Boy, Femi continues to cultivate his audience with the album release of Gardener, fortifying his position as the Afro-R&B artist to watch and listen. The desire to explore the verbal cues spoken between loving partners over an energetic vibe was the driving force behind the song aptly titled Love Language.”
Twincidi | My Love For You
HOME BASE: France.
GENRE: EDM.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Twincidi is a French DJ and producer. He has come from his planet Cidion with Boris, his alien friend. Twincidi oscillates between underground bass house, tech house and mainstream future house. Twincidi loves the musical freedom; he thinks each style has its own qualities. He always tries to bring a good vibe to his productions. My Love For You is a groovy and powerful house track, with a catchy drop, a dancing break and an efficient vocal.”
E.A. Lincon | Blue Ice
HOME BASE: United States.
GENRE: R&B / Soul.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “TX 210.”
Shirley Ly | Falling Leaves
HOME BASE: United Kingdom.
GENRE: Neo-Classical.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Shirley Ly is a self-taught contemporary classical composer from London. She began composing when she was 15 and instantly fell in love with it. Her music has been played around half a million times across more than 100 countries and is described as a bridge between classical, romantic, and minimalist music with Eastern and jazz elements. She has produced two albums, Blossom (2021) and Impetus (2018), which feature piano, violin, cello, and viola. She is currently working on her third album Paradise, to be released by the end of 2022. Falling Leaves was inspired by family. Wherever we go, falling leaves always return to their roots. No matter what happens, the family will always be there to provide unconditional love.”
Bubba Brothers | Tribe
HOME BASE: Portugal.
GENRE: EDM.
THE EDITED BIO & PRESS RELEASE: “Bubba Brothers are two techno and house DJs who started their careers in early 2015. Eliseo Correia and Justino Santos are friends from Portugal who have become a regular and popular presence in clubs and festivals. They have produced multiple dance-floor hits.”
